Apparatus for stacking and storing grain



0. M. GRAHAM. I, I APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND STORING GRAIN.

I APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 19l6. 1,332,494. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

- 7 SHEETS--SHEET (Attorney D. M. GRAHAM.

APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND STORING GRAIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13, l9l6.

1,332,494. Patented Mar. 2, 1920,

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. Inventor B 3 MVLTQ Jmomey D. M; GRAHAM.

APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND STORING GRAIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, I916.

0. M. GRAHAM. APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND STORING GRAIN.

APPLICATION HLED MAYIS, 1916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920 I SHEETS-SHEET 4'.

I muentm Albums 0. M. GRAHAM.

APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND STORING GRAIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I3 I9I6- V Pgltented Mar. 2, 1920.

Inventor '7 SHEETSSHEET 5.

A Attorney 0. M. GRAHAM.

APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND STORING GRAIN.

APPLICATI QN FILED MAY 13. ISIS.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Inventor ttorey 0. M GRAHAM. APPARATUS FOR STACKING AND STORING GRAIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I3. I9I6- 7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

w Inventor QM QJ wwzw I tomy FFIQE.

DAVID IM. GRAHA'M, OF BDRDULAC, NORTH DAKOTA.

APPARATUS FOR STAGKING AND STDRING GRAIN.

Application filed may 13, 1916.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID M. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bordulac, in the county of Foster and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Stacking and Storing Grain, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing stacks or predetermined masses of straws of wheat, or the like, after it has been cut.

The characteristic features of the mechanism will be readily understood from the accompanying drawings and thefollowing description; as will also the objects aimed at and the steps followed in reaching them and in using the apparatus.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a mechanism comprising parts which embody my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

F 4 is a transverse section on the vertical plane of the line zcw of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the staclnforming and transporting apparatus, taken on the plane of the line g r of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the supporting structure at the bottom of the mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the parts of the apparatus.

Fig. 8 shows the bottom part of the main frame.

Fig. 9 shows, detached, one of the longer and one of the shorter bottom bars.

Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, are detached views, respectively, showing details of the structure.

The apparatus herein illustrated is intended to be transported through the fields and to receive the straws of newly cut Wheat, or the like. It is adapted to have packed therein the straws in such way that they will form a comparatively compact mass which will maintain its shape after being deposited on the ground. These masses are forward Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Serial No. 97,298.

deposited in such way as to form a more or less permanent stack until the grain has been thoroughly cured and is ready to be subjected to the threshing operation.

The grain may be delivered to the present stack-forming mechanism directly from the harvester cutting apparatus in a continuous stream, as illustrated and described in my earlier application, Serial No. 17,256, filed August 25, 1915, or'the straws may be delivered in rows and taken up by hand or by suitable raking and elevating mechanism.

In either case it is delivered to the interior of the receptacle, as shown in the drawings and to be described below, wherein an operative rides, who disposes of the straws in such way as to produce a compact relatively solid mass adapted to maintain its conformation as aforesaid.

The various parts comprising the mechanism shown will be referred to somewhat in detail, but it will be understood that the es ential features of the invention are not limited thereto, as in many respects there can be modifications without departing from the invention.

The mechanism shown has a main bottom frame having the longitudinal sill bars 1*. 1 with cross girts 1, 1*". 148, 143 are relatively long uprights or posts at the rear ends of the sills 1 1 and 131, 131 are shorter uprights or posts near the front ends of the sills, these uprights being rigidly secured position. The rear posts are connected by a top cross girt 1 and the front posts are connected by girt 1. Thus there is a four-sided vertical frame at the front end of the receptacle and a three-sided frame (vertical posts and top cross bar) at the rear, there being no cross obstructions at the rear, at the bottom part of the frame.

The front part of the main frame is supported upon a truck connected to the frame by a vertical pivot and having two wheels H on the axle 1 and having also the tongue 15, the truck being situated below the front cross girt 1. 0n transverse lines near the middle, longitudinally, of the sills 1 1 is positioned the non-rotary axle bar or rod 1O which carries the wheels 10 and 11, this axle being supported in the brackets at 10 and carrying rollers 13 spaced by or mounted on the tube 12. Vithin each roller 13 there is an antifriction roller bearing of any well known or suitable ,form.

Upon these rests the straw receptacle and stacking device, proper. This is composed of alongitudinally and vertically movable bottom structure, together with longitudinally stationary but laterally movable side walls, and a longitudinally swinging rear wall or gate.

The main parts of the side walls are indicated by 141. Each is secured at its front end to a vertically arranged, loose, and movable bar 133, and at its rear end is connected to the main frame by a vertical hinge rod 142 held by brackets 142 connected to the rear posts 143.

The swinging rear wall or gate comprises a rockshaft' 177 mounted in brackets 179, at the tops of the rear posts, side bars 140, a bottom cross bar 140 and vertically arranged spaced rods 178. This gate normally tends to swing forward, and is locked in its closed position; but when unlocked can be pushed and swung backward by the load in the receptacle. It is locked by the catch devices at 148, each pivoted to a bracket 148. The latches are opened by pull rods 147 in brackets 149 extending forward at the sides of the machine and connected to the cranks 150 of a rock shaft 151 mounted in bearings 152 on. the sills l 1 just in front of the receptacle. 153 is a lever arm rigid with the rock shaft 151 and extending up to a point where it will be accessible to an attendant. When he rocks the lever 153 forward the rods 147 open the catches 148, and the rear gate is free to swing backward.

The front wall of the receptacle is preferably a rack having the Vertically arranged spaced rods 131 fastened in the bottom girt 1 and the top girt 1 The front ends of the side walls are positively drawn inward, but are free to be returned by springs. 155, 155 are cables attached to the inner sides of the bars or posts 133. 154 is a winding drum to which the inner ends of the cables are attached. The shaft 145 of this drum is mounted in an upright in the front wall, andflcarries at its outer end a sprocket 146, which, by chain 145, is connected to sprocket 144 on a shaft 144 at the top of the frame. This shaft has a locking ratchet 135 with which a spring held pawl 135 engages. 147 is a crank on the shaft 144 The attendant, by means of these devices, can, through the cords 155, draw the inner ends of the side walls inward. They are automatically returned by the springs 137 fastened at 136- and each of which is, by a cable 138, connected at 140 to the outer. side of one of the bars or posts 133, the cable passing through a deflecting guide at 139.

The bottom structure of the receptacle and stacker is formed with a bottom frame having theside sills 157 resting on the said rollers 13 turning on the axle bar, the front girt 157*, a rear cross bar 160, and intermediate girts 157. The sills 157 of the bottom are guided and braced by the sills 1, 1 of the main frame which latter as described are by means of the brackets 10 secured to the axle bar. 158, 158 are longitudinally arranged.

bars. In these are mounted rollers 165 in a horizontal series. Upon these rollers there is arranged an endless carrier 1.66 carrying flights or attachments 167. This carrier system extends from the front end of the receptacle to a transverse line at or near the center, longitudinally. As shown, it is on the inner side of the bottom structure, that is to say, is disposed between the central longitudinal vertical plane and the inner side Wall 141.

Along the outer side of this bottom structure for the receptacle there are longitudinal bars 168 in which rollers 17 2 are mounted in a horizontal series, and upon these there is a canvas 172 carrying cleats or flights 173. This carrier system is narrower than that at 166 on the inner side. A space is left between the outer wall 141 and this outer carrier 17 2 This unobstructed space is provided for an attendant who stands within the receptacle for purposes to be described.

Between the carriers there is a longitudinally arranged structure, the purpose of which is to completely separate the inner part of the straw mass at the bottom from the outer part, the separation being maintained after the mass is deposited on the ground, and is intended to permit free access of currents of air, as will be set forth.

169, 169, are plates or boards arranged vertically and secured to the base frame part. They extend a relatively long distance upward from the bottom planes. Alon their upper edges is mounted a series of rollers 169 and upon these is arranged an endless belt 170 carrying flights or teeth 171.

To reduce the frictional resistance to the straw along the surfaces of the vertical parts 169, they are cut away over as wide an area as possible and the metal rods 180 and 181 are arranged longitudinally in the cutaway spaces. This airspace-former is arranged longitudinally and centrally between the side walls 141.

161 are rack elements, such as bars, or, preferably, tubes,-secured at 160 at their rear ends to the rear cross girt 160, and at their front ends secured to the intermediate girt 157". These tubes are cut away at 162, and in the rear end of each there is inserted an extension 163, preferably a tube, of smaller diameter, and secured by a pivot- 1641, the rear fingers 163 being adapted to rock, within limits, in the ends of the tubes.

The rack system having these relatively short bars or tubes 16.1 is in the longitudinal vertical planes of the carrier systems 166 and 172.

Along the outer wall 141 there are similar, but longer, rack bars or tubes 161 which extend from the rear cross girt 160, to which they are attached, forward to the front cross girt 157 oi: the base frame. It is upon these that the attendant is supported while he remains in the receptacle.

On the under side of each of the side sills 157 there is an inclined roller track bar 191. 190 indicates a support which carries the forward end of one of these, and 190 indicates a stop device.

At the front end the movable bottom structure rests upon a support 168" secured to the stationary frame. At the rear ends of the sills 157 there are plates 15$.) which furnish a wide support when the rear end of the bottom structure settles down upon the ground, these acting as shoes and pre venting the bar parts from sinking below the ground surface.

The manner of operating an apparatus of the sort which I have shown and described will be readily understood.

Two operatives accompany the machine, one for driving, steering and attending to the team, and the other for observing the delivery of the straw, disposing it as it is received in the receptacle, and forming and delivering the stack sections. One rides on a drivers seat suitably supported on the frame of the machine or more usually on an accompanying grain cutting machine; the other, during the earlier stages of forming a stack, rides in the receptacle, standing on the longer rods 161 at the outer side or the machine; and, during the last period of forming the stack he stands upon the running boards or platforms 17 1-, at the side, and 175 at the front. The parts having been properly adjusted, the grain is delivered into the stack former, ordinarily from an accompanying grain cutting and elevating machine. The attendant in the stock former first deposits th ncoming straw upon the bottom at each side or the parts 169 with the butts turned outward next to the outer walls of the stack chamber until the mass o1 straw reaches the level of the top of the space former.

Then he stacks or arranges them across the tops of the space-form r, continuing the placing of layers (as uniformly butts-out ward-and-heacls--to-the-center as possible) until he reaches .the tops of the side walls. These are generally supplemented by canvas wings or shields, which practically extend the side walls as retainers. The best dimensions that I have so far found for the chamber in the stack arc: length ten feet, width live or siX feet, height live to seven feet.

During the time that the straw is being disposed and packed in this chamber the front ends of the side walls are drawn inward by the drum 154 and the cables 155, horizontally, laterally, the chamber will taper or widen rearward.

By the time the mass of straw in the chamber has reached or approached the top of the side walls the attendant leaves the interior and stands upon the board 174; from vhich he can still effect the manipulating and olacing oi the straws at the top.

He should gradually narrow the mass from the sides toward the central longitudinal vertical plane so that, when the straw has settled down into final position, it, at the top, will act in respect to rain and wind as it thatched.

Then the stacker attendant, stepping to the platform 175, releases the crank shaft 144. Thereupon the springs 13? immediately draw the forward ends of the side boards outward, relieving the straw mass of pressure and friction at the sides.

Then this attendant releases the bottom lock or catch and simultaneously opens the latches 14-8 behind the tail gate, by rocking the shaft 151 through lever 153.

The stacker receptacle 1 at all places he hind the ledges or shoulders 168 rests upon the avle 10 or upon the rollers 13, which, in turn, bear on the axle. The center of gravity of the load is in, or approximately in, the vertical plane of the axis of the axle. I aim to have the gravity so distributed that when the load of straw is completed its center of gravity will be slightly in the rear of this plane.

Consequently, when the catch 153 is open, the rear end of the stacker receptacle begins to gently swing downward; and, as the latches 148 have been opened the tail gate is free to swing backward under the pressure of the load. The down movement of the rear end of the bottom structure continues until the rack fingers 163 strike the ground, the rear part of the straw mass resting upon them. lVhen they contact with the ground they swing up somewhat on the pivots 164. By this time the bottom of the straw masshas, over a large area, come in contact with the ground surface, a powerfulgripping friction is caused, and the whole mass is held practically stationarily, without forward dragging, on the ground. This downward swinging of the rear end of the bottom structure brings the track bars 191 to the horizontal, or with their forward ends slightly above the horizontal, and the whole 1 structure is free to move backward over the axle; or, vice versa, the main frame structure of the stacker is free to move forward under the straw receptacle. The latter ocours, and the forward movement of the axle relatively to the straw mass continues until the stop arms 190 190 are reached. In the meantime, the rear end of the straw mass has been securing a firm grip on the ground. As soon as the axle impinges on the stops 190*, the forward motion of the main frame suddenly tugs at the movable bottom structure and it is quickly drawn out from under the straw. The endless aprons 171 and 172 (which, by means of their cleats 167, 171 and 173, engage quite firmly with the bottom part of the straw mass) permit the bottom structure to move out from under the straw with the resistance reduced to minimum.

As soon as the bottom structure is free from the straw, the I attendant grasps the handle of the lever 156 and draws down ward upon it. This tends to overbalance the bottom structure in the opposite direction. When it is unloaded, the front part in advance of the vertical plane of the wheel axis is heavier than therear part, the weights of the parts being selected and arranged with this in view, that is to say, to have the front end heavier when the stacker is empty. When it is loaded there is a considerably greater quantity of straw at the rear end because of the divergence of the side walls toward the rear. After the attendant has given a. downward pull 011 the lever 156, the inclined track 191 insures that the bottom structure shall move relatively forward again and come to the position where it rests upon the shoulders at 168 After this it is again locked by the latch at 153; and the tail gate, which has followed the bottom structure back to its closed position, is locked by the latches 148.

These operations of releasing the stack receptacle, its settling down, its being drawn out from under the stack, and its returning to position for another load, all take place in from twenty to twenty-five feet of lineal travel of the machine.

In the stack which is formed as illustrated in Fig. 1, the space which was occupied by the former F is now an open air chamber or flue extending from the front side of the stack practically under it entirely to the back. In earlier machines which I have de vised I formed an air space in the stack which had inclined sides that converged at a sharp angle toward the top. I found this inferior, in that the straws tend to crowd together and close up more or less of this air passage.

When a space-former such as that herein shown, and indicated by F, is used, an air chamber is produced which, atany place, in vertical section, presents a sharply defined rectangle. of the air passage open indefinitely.

Throughout the greater part of the bottom of the stack the lower layer or stratum of straws all stand with their butts to the ground, except a few at the rear end of the stack which have their butts turned outward but with their heads inward and adjacent to the air space where they are protected from the elements and are situated so as to be fully ventilated and cured.

The straws around the air space are so disposed that, not being tightly bound by twine or otherwise, the air can readily move laterally, horizontally, and also vertically upward from this air chamber and circulate with freedom through the mass.

A stacking mechanism of the sort shown and described herein is of such dimensions that it can carry the cuttings of one hundred and sixty rods of lineal travel of the apparatus. This enables the farmer to select that portion of the field where he wishes the grain to be stored during its drying and curing, and where it can be readily delivered directly to the thresher. He then lays out the rounds for the machines, so that as it approaches the selected area where he wishes all of the grain to be stacked, the attendant, at the termination of each round, (whose length is determined by the load to be obtained) trips the mechanism above described in such way as to deliver the stack in said area.

The different loads or stack sections can be delivered substantially continuously along some predetermined line across, or in selected sections of, the field. If the grain is already dry and approximately cured, these loads or sections of a stack can be placed relatively close together. But if the grain is in less favorable condition, the loads can be arranged on a broken line, or staggered, so as to expose the sides and ends to access of the air, and yet be in a restricted area, as above specified, so that the greater part of the field area is cleaned up and ready for plowing.

I have above directed attention more particularly to wheat in order to convey a clear understanding of the mechanism and the mode of its use. It will be understood, however, that any cereal-carrying straw which is harvested by the ordinary harvesting and binding machines can be cut and handled in the way described, such as oats, flax, barley, and the like. And I have also found that other materials which do not require as much care in manipulation can be also harvested and stored to great advantage by an apparatus embodying my improvements; such as hays of the ordinary species, al-

And this insures the maintaining falfa, or the like. For hay or alfalfa the machine is used in substantially the same way as above described; the cut grass or stalks, if properly disposed in the receptacle, around and over the airspace-former, and when the machine reaches a predetermined area of the field a stack is formed, which, when made in the way described, will dry and cure with results much superior to those obtained when the plan is followed of leaving the freshly cut materials lie upon the ground the needed time and then gathered into small piles or shocks and finally in the larger stacks.

When the mechanism is made with the parts described, it will be seen that it comprises, virtually, two formers, that is to say, an exterior one having the side walls and end walls of the main receptacle, and the other being composed of the side walls and top of the airspace-former. These two formers co-act to put the straws into compact condition so that, as they settle under the weight of the upper part of the mass, the air chamber is maintained for an indefinite time after the mass is deposited on the ground. While I have above described in detail the preferred manner of arranging the straws (those on the bottom to stand as largely as possible lengthwise, vertically, and with their butts downward), advantages are obtained by this mechanism, even though the straws in the lower strata are more or less miscellaneously arranged; the effect of packing between the outer and the inner formers being, as aforesaid, such as to maintain the ventilation chamber. I have discovered that where the straws are stacked over an interior former, but without the use of outside walls, to efiect the packing between the interior element and the exterior one, the resulting stack collapses at the air space and the benefits of ventilation are lost.

With regard to my improved method of harvesting cereal grain, which the apparatus herein claimed isdesigned to carry into effect, it may be added that heretofore grain has been bound into bundles and shocked with the bundles leaning inward against each other. In some instances this procedure would incidentally leave air spaces between the bundles, but such air spaces had no influence or usefulness in connection with the grain berries and did not modify or hasten or improve the sweating and curing of the berries, because the berries were in the heads of the bundles and top of the shock and exposed to the air, so that no sweating, further growth, maturing and increase of weight and value was attained. Nothing but a drying out of moisture took place, and this was intended, in order that there might be no injurious heating in a stack or barn in case such grain was not to be threshed from the shock. Sometimes such bundles and shocked grain was, after a thorough drying, stacked in the field or mowed away in the barn and left for a month or siX weeks, before threshing. Great particularity as to the dryness of the grain before stacking or mowing it had to be exercised in such cases, because if it were not sufficiently dried in the field before stacking or mowing the sweating in the mow or stack would go too far and the grain would heat (even to the point of combustion) and mow burn so that the quality, grade and value was greatly reduced, sometimes to the point of killing the germ so that it would be unfit for seed, or of rendering the berries unfit for use as food. After such preliminary drying little or no benefit would be derived from the sap in the cut grain straws.

But when my method is followed the grain is cut so that the sap holding straws remain attached to their berries and it is stacked in the field as it is cut with almost all of the grain berries inclosed within the stack toperform by causing air to be distributed through the stack, as by forming a ventilating air space or passage in theberry-inclos ing stack by which sufficient free air is supplied and moisture is taken away, so that the sweating extends only to the desirable extent.

Under such conditions the berries will continue to mature and improve in grade by taking up plant food from the straws, in which the sap and moisture present at the time of cutting has been preserved, so that an action, probably fermentive or chemical, takes place, known as sweating, by which nutriment continues to be transferred from the cut straws to the berries. The heat generated in the thicker part of the stack is not allowed to rise to an injurious degree to interfere with this continued growth of the berries, because the heated very hygroscopic and moist air in those parts of the stack where heating and sweating begins rises through the interstices of the stack and takes away heat and moisture and keeps down eX- cessive temperature. This rising air draws in and is replaced bv drier and cooler air which is freely supplied from the ventilating air passage which has been formed in the lower part of the stack, and this fresh air acts in a similar manner throughout the stack wherever it enetrates, and removes its evil results does not occur, and this I heat as it is further generated. An injurious degree of heat is thus continually prevented while the lesser degree of heat accompanying the sweating, growth and maturing of the berries is permitted.

By my method not only are great quantities of grain berries prevented from being scattered and lost, and much labor saved, as already explained, but a perfect curing is effected within two or three weeks after stacking in the field and the grain has then attained its maximum maturity, grade and value and is ready for threshing.

The front to rear dimension of the formed stack is considerable, preferably about ten feet, and it is desirable not to have the stack former bottom very far from the ground. Under such conditions if the said bottom be transversely hinged or pivoted at its front end the rear end of the bottom is arrested by the ground, in the stack-discharging operation, before the bottom has assumed a sufliciently steep angle of rearward inclination for the prompt and satisfactory overcoming of friction, along the space former sides and bottom, and the downward sliding of the stack; and with the bottom hinged at its front end it would have to be supported at an undesirable height above the ground in order to have a satisfactory stack-discharging action. According to my improvement the stack former bottom is transversely hinged or pivoted at a point considerably to the rear of its front end and near the median transverse plane of the re ceptacle, so that the desired and relatively steep inclination of the bottom is obtained by the tilting up of its front and as well as by the tilting down of its rear end, and this desired angle of tilting is accomplished without unduly increasing the height of the machine. In structures of this class with which I have had practical experience the stacksupporting bottom was inclinable downward from an axis at or near the front end of the bottom, and the side ground wheels had no common axle and there was no cross connection between the side sills 1 1 excepting at their front ends by the cross pieces 1, 1 on account of the necessity of leaving open the space between the sills for the downward swinging of the bottom so hinged and the egress of the stack. It resulted from this that the weight of the stack and its outward pressure would in cases spread apart the side walls and unconnected side sills and disorganize the vehicle. These difficulties are overcome by my present improvement including the mounting of the bottom on an axis near its middle so that its forward end rises as the bottom is tilted. This allows the space between the sills l l as far back as the point where the tilting bottom declines between the sills, that is to Lesa 4.9a

say, as far back as the axle, to be occupied by cross-connecting means to hold the sills.

together; and including the provision of the cross axle which is or may be such a cross: OOIlIlGCtiIlg means as well as itself the pivot for the tilting of the bottom.

What I claim is:

1. In a straw-receiving and stackforming mechanism, the combination of the main frame, the bottom structure, the end retaining devices for the straw, the side walls movable outwardly on the frame away from the stack and means for holding and releasing said side walls.

2. In a straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism, the combination of the main frame, the bottom structure, the end walls, the side walls movable outward and inward at their forward ends, and means for holding and releasing said side walls.

3. In a straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism, the combination of the framework, the bottom structure, the end walls, the side walls movable outward and inward at their ends, means for manually drawing the said ends in one direction, and automatically acting devices for drawing them in the opposite direction.

4:. In a straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism, the combination of the main frame, the downwardly movable bottom structure, the swingable side walls, the front wall, the swinging rear end wall, means for looking or latching said rear and end wall, and means for optionally opening the said looking or latching devices.

5. A straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism having a wheeled frame, a bottom structure, end walls, side walls arranged to permit the presence of an operative in the receptacle, and relatively stationary supports for said operative inside of and outside of said receptacle.

6. A straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism having a rising and falling and longitudinally movable bottom structure provided with a bodily stationary movable anti-friction supporting device extending longitudinally of the receptacle below the straw.

7 In a straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism, the combination of a bottom structure having an upwardly extending air-s.paceformer which is rectangular in vertical cross section and adapted to form an air space below a straw mass.

8. In a straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism, a bottom structure having an upwardly extended air-space-former wth a laterally extended top adapted to support transversely arranged straws above it.

9. A straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism having a bottom structure with an upwardly extending airspaceformer with a laterally extended top provided with a horizontally arranged longitudinally movable straw support.

10. A straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism having an upwardly ext-ending air-space-former at the top 01" which is an endless straw-engaging belt support adapt ed to move relatively backward with the straw.

11. A straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism having two independent longitudinally extended bodily stationary movable straw supports below the straw and having at the rear of said supports a racklike support for the straw.

12. A. straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism having a bottom structure provided with an approximately centrally arranged upwardly extending airspace-ton mer and having at the side thereof a longitudinally extended movable straw support.

13. A straw-receiving anc stack-forming mechanism having a bottom structure provided with an approximately centrally ar ranged upwardly extendingairspace-itermer and having at the side thereof a longitudinally extended movable straw support, and in front thereof a rack-like support tor the straw.

14. A straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism having an approximately centrally arranged upwardly extended air spaceformer, a longitudinally extended movable straw support below the straw at one side of the said space-torme; a second longitudinally extended movable straw support below the straw at the other side of the space-former and having a fixed support adapted to sustain straw and also adapted to support an attendant, on the transverse lines of the said movable supports.

15. A straw-receiving and stack-forming mechanism having a bottom structure longitudinally movable therein. with a rack at the rear end pivotally connected with and vertically movable relatively to the forward part of the rack structure.

16. A straw-receiving and stacletorming mechanism having a bottom structure provided with a rack below the r er portion of the straw mass. the rear part of each rack elcn'ient being; pivotally connected with and vertically movable relatively to the torward part.

1.7.. In a straw-receiving and stack-torming mechanism, the combination of a vertically movable bottom structure to carry a straw mass and pivotally mounted on a cross a: 5; forward of the middle of the stack and arranged to be relatively overweighted at one end when unloaded and overwe gl'ited at the other end when loaded.

18. A, straw-receiving; and stacleformin mechanism. having a vertically swinging bottom structure pivotally mounted on a cross axis forward of the middle of the stack and adapted to be overweighted at one end when loaded and overweighted at the other end when unloaded, and means for holding it in position while being loaded.

19. The combination of the portable receptacle, the straw-supporting bottom for the receptacle, and the interior longitudinally arranged airspace-former with a. laterally extended top and comprising side rods 181, said parts being adapted to produce a compact bottom stratum of straws around an air chamber rectangular in cross section 20. The combination with the receptacle, of the rigid tiltabl e bottom structure having; the endless strawsupporting carrier mounted on rollers and adapted to be moved under the weight of the straw.

21. The combination with the receptacle the interior air-spacedormer, and the bot tom having a straw supporting endless apron mounted on rollers below the top oi? the air-space-it'ormer and adapted to be moved under the weight of the straw when the bottom is inclined.

22. The combination with the receptacle, of the interior airspace-former, the bottom sections at the sides of said airspace-former, and the longitudinally arranged anti-fri tion straw support above the air-space former.

The combination with the receptacle, of the tilting bottom structure having one or more endless aprons for supporting the straw and adapted to be moved rearward under the weight of the straw when the bottom is inclined.

24.- The combination of the receptacle and the vertically swinging; bottom having; horizontally and longitudinally arranged rack bars each bar formed in two sections and each section being pivotally connected to the other.

25. The combination with the receptacle, of the movable bottom having the centrally and longitudinally arranged airspace- :tormer. the anti-friction straw support above the former, and an anti-friction st aw support on each side of the said former and in the horizontal planes of the bottom parts of the former.

26. The combination with the receptacle, of the movable bottom having the centrally and longitudinally arranged airspacei'ormer, the elongated rack bars on one side of the space "former and the anti-friction straw support-on the opposite side of the space former.

27. The combination of the receptacle, the centrally and longitudinally arranged airspace-former, the bodily movable bottom having straw-supporting means on one side part of the former comprising an anti-friction supporting device at the forward end of the bottom and longitudinally arranged rack bars at the rear end of the bottom, and a straw support on the opposite side of the airspace-former having parallel rack bars extending substantially the full length of the bottom.

28. A stack former for harvesting machines having in combination, a frame, an axle extending across said frame, ground wheels on the axle at the sides of the frame, a bottom arranged across said axle "above the same and supported therefrom, said bottom being tiltable for the deposit of the stack, means for confining and forming the lower part of the stack, means for forming a permanent ventilating space in said lower of the stack, and means for forming the upper and major part of the stack on the top of the space-forming means and confining and shaping the sides of the said upper part of the stack.

29. A stack former for harvesting machines having in combination, a frame, an axle extending across said frame, ground wheels on the axle at the sides of the frame, a bottom arranged across said axle above the same and supported therefrom, said bottom being nearly balanced and tiltable for the deposit of the stack, means for confining and forming the lower part of the stack, means for forming a permanent ventilating space in said lower part of the stack, and means for forming the upper and major part of the stack on the top of the space-forming means and confining and shaping the sides of the said upper part of the stack.

30. A stack former for harvesting machines having in combination, a frame, an axle extending across said frame, ground wheels on the axle at the sides of the frame, a bottom arranged across said axle above the same and supported therefrom, said bottom being nearly balanced and tiltable and also rearwardly slidable for the deposit of the stack, means for confining and forming the lower part of the stack, means for forming a permanent ventilating space in said lower part of the stack on the top of the spaceforming means and confining and shaping the sides of the said upper part of the stack.

31. A stack former for harvesting machines having in combination, a frame, an axle extending across said frame, ground Wheels on the axle at the sides of the frame, a bottom arranged across said axle above the same and supported therefrom, said bottom being nearly balanced and tiltable for the deposit of the stack and longitudinally slidable, means for confining and forming the lower part of the stack, means for forming a permanent ventilating space in said lower part of the stack, and means for forming the upper and major part of the stack on the top of the space-forming means and confining and shaping the sides of the said upper part of the stack, and means whereby said axle arrests the rearward sliding of said bottom.

A stack former for harvesting machines having in combination a frame open at the rear end for the egress of a formed stack, an axle held on and extending across the said frame, and having supporting Wheels, a bottom arranged across said axle and rearwardly tiltable upon a transverse axis for the deposit of the stack, said axis being located near the median transverse line of said bottom, and stack-forming walls for confining and shaping the sides and ends of the stack.

33. A stack former comprising a receptacle having side walls, an end wall, and an end wall which is movable to leave a rear opening for the egress of the formed stack, a front ground support, a rear ground support comprising two wheels at the sides of the stack former and a through axle for said wheels near the central vertical transverse plane of the receptacle, and a bottom having an axis of tilting arranged near said vertical plane and said bottom being tiltable rearwardly with the stack thereon for the deposit of the same. i

34. A stack former for harvesting machines having in combination a frame open at the rear end for the egress of a formed stack, an axle held on and extending across the said frame, and having supporting wheels, a bottom arranged above and supported by said axle and rearwardly tiltable upon a transverse axis for the deposit of the stack, said axle being located near the median transverse line of said bottom, and stacloforming walls for confining and shaping the sides and ends of the stack.

35. A stack former for harvesting machines having in combination a frame open at the rear end for the egress of a formed stack and having supporting wheels, a bottom which is rearwardly tiltable upon a transverse axis for the deposit of the stack, said axis being located near the median transverse line of said bottom, and stackforming walls for confining and shaping the sides and ends of the stack, the side walls diverging away from each other at the time when the stack is deposited, to aid in releasing the stack.

36. A stack former comprising a receptacle having side walls, an end wall and a movable end wall, a frame supporting said walls, and having side members, a wheeled support for said frame, a bottom which is tiltable rearwardly relative to the walls of the receptacle, and a connection from one of said side members to the other arranged at a distance from and to the rear of their front ends.

37. A stack former for harvestinc machines having in combination a wheele supporting frame, a movable bottom which is arranged relatively near the ground and which is longitudinally tiltable to rest on the ground at its rear end and having its rear portion formed of longitudinal spaced rods, a support on which said bottom is tiltable arranged at a distance from the front end of the bottom and forward of the middle thereof whereby the front end rises as the rear end declines, a stack ventilating space former above said bottom, means above said bottom for confining and forming the front end and sides of the stack, and an outwardly movable rear end gate arranged to permit the stack to pass out of said former.

38. In a machine for forming and dis charging stacks of grain and the like, the combination of a forming receptacle having side and end walls, a wheeled support for the same, and a tiltable bottom mounted on an axis near the median transverse line of the bottom and adapted to trail on the ground at its rear depressed end for the deposit of a formed stack.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of a witness.

DAVID M. GRAHAM.

Witness N. CURTIS LAMMOND. 

